Dedication to Death
by Anubis9
Summary: Axl's history and what happens to the Assassin's Guild after Slayer disbands it.


You know, I couldn't tell you how it all happened.  It was just so weird, but I can try and start from the beginning.  I hope you might be able to understand it, but these are the words of a doomed man.

"Whoa, can we work this out in a better manner?" I said at her, all those years ago.  Although, really, it wasn't.  But anyway, I was holding my two sickles, one in each hand, and I reached up to the back of my head with my right hand and scratched it, laughing a bit nonchalantly.  I was so naïve.  I can't believe how naïve I was, even to this day.  It felt so natural to act like that, but it was pure foolishness.

"Not with your kind, human!" she yelled at me.  The guitar lying on her back jumped to life as she flipped it around her body, grabbing it with one hand in a grip tighter than steel.  The leather strap that held it to her back seemed to unlatch as if by her mind, and she grabbed it with her other hand.

Slowly, she lowered herself to the ground, breathing heavy, the red hat concealing her eyes.  It didn't matter; I knew they had a blood lust in them.  Her breaths almost sounded like an animal growling, before the kill. 

"Come on, baby, please?  We don't gotta fight, let's just talk, I wouldn't want to hurt your pretty face!"  I remember saying those words, or something like it.  I was attracted to her, mainly only in physicality.  I knew I loved Megumi.  With all my heart and soul, it didn't matter what time period I was in or where on the planet, I would find her and tell her I loved her.

But, a little side venturing didn't make a difference, back then at least.  Then, she threw that leather strap at me, flying with a velocity of such high magnitudes.  If not for my reflexives, it would've hit me, but not hurt me.  That wasn't the point though.  I deflected it by slicing it in two with one of the kamis, quickly calling it back with the momentum it had. 

As she had thrown it, the millisecond it left her fingers, she started a pace at me at blistering speeds.  Inhuman, totally inhuman.  No way something could have such precise timing, such speed, such beauty, all of it in one package.  But, as the two pieces of that strap fell, she was on top of me.  Her leg smashed into my chest, the hard heel leaving a welt.  I stumbled back under the weight, only to be hit again by her other foot.

She assaulted me a couple of times with her feet, and after a few expert dodges and blocks, only receiving another 4 or so direct hits, I was out of her direct assault.  He jumped backwards, sneering.

"Human, you will pay!  There isn't a need for you bastards here!" she yelled, her body still very low to the ground and her guitar in hands, breathing in an animalistic way.

"What are you talking about, babe?!" I yelled at her questioningly, feeling over the welts left in my chest.  She had been packing one helluva punch, if I could say that, despite she had kicked me.  But I felt it, and I could feel the blood clotting to the welts inside my body.  It was hurting like hell anytime I even moved my arms.

Without warning, she growled again, that turned into a scream.  The scream turned into a howling running pace at me, her guitar over her head.  In a quick movement, she brought it down vertically, but this time I was ready.  Bringing my kamis over my head, I blocked the guitar head.  I was surprised at it's durability, that much force from her hitting my kamis would have snapped any ordinary instrument.

Before I could react, she withdrew her weapon, then turned to her side, grabbing what seemed like thin air.  A second later, a large metallic pole materialized, on the end a sharpened mace head, pieces of jagged metal sticking out every which way.  

"Come on!  Lay off it, babe!" I yelled futilely.  She took the mace lying on the ground and thrusted it upward in an arc that nearly hit my chin, which would have been _made_ part of my nasal cavity if I had not jumped backwards.  The breeze from the heavy object was a slight one, and being as I missed it by centimeters, I felt the small bit of air it produced.  

As I landed backwards, the mace disintegrated back into oblivion where it had came from, and she sneered at me.  She was obviously in a mode of raged hate.  One very, very angry girl.  Her read leather squeaked with every one of her movements, and she looked downright fine in it, but she also had a killer instinct, that was showing through.

Last time I met her, she was nicer, she flirted with me, but we got in a little fight, and she left after.  I knew she was toying with me, especially now when she was actually fighting.  

"I don't want to have to do this, lady, but I will fight you!" I pleaded.  I never liked to hurt a lady, especially a good looking one, but if I had to, I would.  

"You humans are disgusting!  Die!"  She ran again at me, but now, I wasn't going to hold back.  As she did, she raised her guitar as if to attack in a similar manner like last time.  As she did, I jumped to the side and threw my kami at her, the chain raveling past my finger tips as it flew.  

The tip of the blade caught her in the side, just grazing the red leather, making an equally red line on her kidney-area that dripped a little over the leather.  She looked back, infuriated.  As she did, her entire body turned, guitar in a playing position.  Then, she threw her hand down onto it, a huge surrounding blast of symphonic sound hitting me like a thousand nails.

I fell to the ground, the sound had all been channeled into a main source, and the vibrations of the molecules hit me, and weren't as pleasant as I would have hoped.  Coughing out, gaining my breath, I stood again.  I fond her smiling a little, but still with that look of intent death in her eyes.  She _wanted_ to see blood, I knew it.  It was as if she was going to take my blood and bathe in it for enjoyment.

I had enough of her now.  I was ready to completely fight.  With a yell, I let loose the sickle in my left hand, the chain whirring in my palm, and suddenly, I snatched the chain, whipping the kami around in a circle.  She dodged to one side, laughing.  She was mocking me.  I only got madder, then I ran at her.  He looked at me like I was only something to play with, and as I was about to attack, she did something peculiar.  

I was bringing the bladed weapon around my side to sweep at her feet, then bring the sickle upwards and throw mine other out for a total of three consecutive hits.  It would never land.  As I was about to release my first hit, she fucked low and kicked at my shins.  I remember that pain, and with those heels, I think she drew blood.  I stumbled back, hurting all over.  

Slowly, standing up, she walked to me, looking down.  

"Pathetic human" she said with a wicked smile grazing her lips.  "You'll never be able to defeat anyone like me, and you'll only end up dying!"  Those last words ended with a much deeper tone, her evil voice changing to a yell.  Bringing up the bottom of her guitar as if to smite me finally, to knock my head straight in, her action was delayed.  

A quick movement and I sent my weapon of choice whirling up at her guitar, and as it hit, the guitar fluttered from her hands, landing in the misty red-clouds surrounding us.  She stepped back, a little fazed, and I took exactly that opportunity.  The kami had not returned to me yet, so I whipped it around again on my other side in a  circle, hitting that bitch straight in her chest with the blunt edge, knocking her back.  

With the sickle still in it's circle, I stood up and whipped it around my shoulder again, knocking her off her feet and into the air.  As she gracefully fell down, her eyes closed and in a state of pain, I jumped off the ground, streaks of grass and dirt chasing my feet as I did.  With my shoulder, I knocked her out of mid air, sending her higher.  As I landed on the ground, a hand on the dirt underneath the red-cloud layer going to my ankles, I heard her fall to the ground a few feet away.

Not like falling and ready for action, but more like a thump of a body.  A few seconds of recuperating, and I cautiously walked to her.  Eyeing the guitar slightly sticking out of the mist, I returned my gaze to the weaponless leather-clad succubus.  I walked cautiously up, hands tight on my kamis, but being more polite as I had wanted to.  Back then, I had liked her, I thought she was cute, and even though I hadn't seen Megumi in forever, well, she reminded me of her.  

"You bastard…" she said slowly, getting up to her knees.  She tried getting to her feet, but fell back down onto her knees in pain.  I stuffed both of my weapons into the back of my jeans and kneeled down to her, a smile crossing my lips.

"Don't worry there, babe.  I gotcha."  She looked at me, hatred in her eyes, but let me help her up without trying to decapitate me.  Once she was up, she pushed off of me, staggering for balance.  Once she ascertained that, she eyed the guitar slightly protruding from the odd red mist.  Looking back at me, then the guitar, I knew what she was going to do.

A small little twinge of the lips into a small smirk danced her face, then she ran.  Man, how she could run.  It was like light couldn't catch her.  But, I was prepared as I saw what she was going to do.  Running for the guitar to try and kill me.  Again.  As she took her first few steps, my hands slid to my back, grabbing a sickle in each hand from each of the jean pockets.  

Kneeling down, I threw one of them in an arc like motion.  Right on target.  I hit her square in the ankles, and the kami wrapped around, lodging itself into the chain on the other side of her legs, like a noose.  She fell to the ground, dazed by what had happened.  Slowly, I wrapped the excess chain into a ball and held it squarely in my fist, like a leash.

"Damn you, bastard.  I'll fucking kill you." She seethed.  A few more insults laden with curse words and death rants flew from her mouth, but I just smiled at her As I walked over slowly to the guitar, grabbed it up and threw it on my back with the loose strap. Then, I walked to her, a smile still on my lips, only making her more mad.

"Listen babe" I said, drowning out her vehement insults and threats.  "I'll let you go, but you gotta help me.  I don't wanna fight with you—"

"Let me go now, asshole!" She yelled, her eyes flaring at me like two giant knives that would easily cut through me like a helicopter's blade.  Thinking of, I hadn't seen a helicopter here, never.  But, she soon continued her ranting and Only got a smile in return from me.  Eventually, her threats, insults, rabid flaring of the mouth, and whatnot ceased.  Then, I continued.

"Listen.  I know _you_ know who That Man is, and I need to see him."  With the mention of Him, her eyes flared to life like a street lamp in the cool darkness of home; Great Britain.  "I just need to see and talk to him.  I got a little problem, you see." I said with a little of a laugh, raising my right hand to scratch the back of my head.  

"What's that?" she said through clenched teeth.

"Well, I'm stuck here."  She gave me a confused look mixed with anger, but her eyes said "go on".  I sighed a little, and tried to explain.

"Alright, it's like this babe—" I stopped my sentence midway.  Thinking for a second, I knew I had her full attention.  "What's your name anyway?"  Her head reared up in disgust and she refused to say, looking away from me.

"Fine then, babe.  I'll just keep callin' you that, if ya don't mind it." I said smiling.  Her eyes turned to me, a look of pure malice, but her head remaining stationary and away from me.  "Well, how do I put this?  I'm a time-traveler."  A laugh chortled her throat, and she looked back at me, a sarcastic look on her face.

"You're a time-traveler?  That's a good damn joke, human.  What kind of drugs are you _on_?"

"Hey!" I said bewildered.  "It's true!  I'm from the early 21st century.  Before the wars, Gears, Seikishidan, all of it, babe!"  She smiled a little, not believing me.  

"Whatever" she said mockingly.  I sighed a little and continued.

"It's simple, babe.  You get me to That Man, and I'll let you go, give you back your guitar, a kiss on the cheek, whatever ya want."  I smiled a little at my last comment, which infuriated her.  She snapped off again with threats and curse words spouting like a fountain.  After a few minutes, She finally shut up, realizing that she wasn't doing anything to me with her repetitive, and very foul, mouth.

"Listen, babe.  You can lay there on the ground, trapped for however long you like, or help me.  It's your choice.  I can stand her for a long time."  After my last sentence, I chucked a little from the sarcasm I didn't intend to be in it.  She only had a look of contempt for me.  Finally, I finished my sentence.  "You can lead me to That Man, or you can lay there for however long you like.  It's your choice, babe."

The inner workings of her head, unknown to me at that time, started to turn their gears and formulate a plan.  I wouldn't know this plan until later, but still, she was a bitch.  With a sigh, and a change of atmosphere, she seemed to change her entire persona, like a schizo.

"Fine, I'll help you.  But my name isn't babe, it's I-No." she said reluctantly.  Her head dipped low, the hat on her head hiding her face as she said it.  But, when she raised her head, I could see she was smiling.  It looked like a real smile at the time, like a forgiveness smile.  I couldn't help it, but I believed her.

"Well, you lead me to him, you get what you want." I said, reassuringly of what I had promised earlier.  Leaning down to the chains around her legs, she seductively put both of her arms behind her, leaning up on the ground, her chest protruding out to me.  A small smile came across her lips and her eyes showed none of the evil rage that they had just 5 minutes earlier.

I kneeled down to the chains, and unraveled them.  My kami was odd, it would wrap itself tight in a knot only I could undo.  Her arms were always free, but they weren't able to break the binding on the chains, although her strength was much more amazing than even I could have thought at the time.  Call it ignorance.  After I unwound her feet, I looked up at her face.  My view was distorted by her chest, which she seductively protruded so gracefully.  I smiled a little, like a boy, then stood up from my kneeling position so I could see her face.

I stuck my hand out to help her up, and she took it, twisting her hand a little like a gentlewoman of the Victorian ages.  I helped her up and she had a smile that rivaled mine.  How fake it was I didn't know at the time.

"So, you want to see That Man, huh?" she smiled a little leaning closer.

"Uh…" I said, a little bit confused, taking a step back with my left foot.  "Yeah, I do.  You can help me, right?"  She smiled a little more, and brought her arms up to me, slinging both of her arms over my shoulders at about the elbow.

"Of course I can." She whispered as she got closer to me.  God, how I wanted to just say "Fuck it all" and indulge to her, I couldn't.  I had a job to do, and I probably wouldn't have said Fuck at that time either.  I was so naïve.  Pushing her off, I got my emotions back in order.  Her expression turned to anger, then subsided back down to that seductive smile.  I hadn't given into her, she knew it.

"Fine, no foreplay?  Let's get down to business." She said in a very serious tone, unlike the playing and sexy voice before.  She turned on her black heels and started walking through the red, knee high mist.  I called out to her and quickly caught up.

"Where are you taking me?"

"A surprise."

"It better be a good one." I sighed.  I had no choice _but_ to follow her.  Then, we walked.  How long, I can't tell you.  But, we did walk for a couple hours.  The red mist seemed to never end.  As far as they could see a thunderstorm ahead, a red mist on the ground, lightning silently striking in the distance, no sound to be heard.  She seemed to know where she was going; turning left after a certain amount of steps, then right, taking a few drastic turns, and finally, I got lost

That was her intention all along, but I didn't know.  She was silent ever since we left, her walk like a machine.  Her breathing was perfect to the millisecond of in and out.  She was like a clock, precise things, never off.  I hadn't noticed at the time, I only noticed her being silent.

"Hey babe, we there yet?"  She froze in place.  Like a machine, she turned slowly.  Her red eyes started into mine like the firs of hell and her voice froze me over.

"Soon."  One word, and it was like a steel-dagger.  She turned around perfectly, and kept walking.  Another 45 minutes, I think, before I asked again.

"I-No, right?" I would remember her name well in the future.  She turned to me mechanically as before, cold eyes with no emotion.

"What." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Uh…we've been out here more than 3 hours walking.  Are we almost there or should we rest for the night?" I said, scratching, my head, smiling a little.  Her composure didn't change a single bit.

"Fine, we'll sleep here for the night." She said unwaveringly.  But, she stood straight and firm, not moving.  Her eyes followed me down as I say and took off the guitar against my back.  Once I saw she hadn't moved, I inquired.

"Hey ba—I-No, you gonna come and lay down or stand there?" I asked.  It had been morning nearly 16 hours ago, not including the hours we had been walking.  No answer from here, only the stare.  "Fine, you can stand." I said, pulling both of my hands behind my head and blowing out a breath.  I tilted my head back to see the thunderclouds still there, the silent lightning always far away, but never near us.  I raised my head back to see if she was still standing, but she was gone.

Hurriedly, I pushed myself off the ground, but was forced back down by a tremendous force.

"Human…what did you think?" I heard her whisper into my ear.  "You could survive?  I'll kill you, and I'll enjoy it.  When I rip out your intestines, I'll make sure you can see every single foot that comes out." She said with a sadistic pleasure.  She was behind me, holding me down with one hand firmly on my ches, the other wrapped around my neck, a small blade in it.

"Too bad, I could have had my way with you.  Maybe I still can." She said, seductively.  Then, I felt her tongue grace along the side of my face.  She licked me, evil as the intent, I was more than freaked out.  I had no idea why she kept calling me human, but I had thought she was a Gear.  Not possible though, Justice died.  I heard her snicker a little as I felt the knife dig deeper into my neck.  She broke skin, a little bit of blood trickling out.

My grunt of pain was returned to me in a moan of pleasure from her, her head right next to mine.  She was sitting behind me, holding me hard with one hand forcing enough pressure onto my chest that I was straining to breathe, the other pushed the knife deeper into my neck.  I could feel the blood trickling down a little and moisten my shirt.

"I'm having so much fun…aren't you?" she said in the seductive tone.  Then, I felt all the pressure on my chest release, the knife released from my neck and the blood seemed to gush out a little more with it's exit.  Then, I saw I-No physically lifted away from me, from who, I didn't know, yet.  I scrambled to my feet, grabbing my neck to see the injuries.

"Wha…who…are you?" I asked breathlessly at the current situation.  I was freaked out beyond belief.  What the hell is going on was the statement racing through my head.  I-No was being held up, her feet off the ground by an unknown figure.  Her arms grasped at her throat, but it was futile as the larger man had a grip that couldn't be broken.

"Put her down." I heard another voice say.  I don't know how long he was there, maybe he followed us, but from behind me walked a figure.  No, he seemed to float by.  Cloaked in a black hood, cutting out all light to his face, he seemed tall, but hunched a little.  The proud voice was a mix of a deep bellow and a sympathetic bass.  The figure, who I looked at with a curious gaze, still rubbing my neck, dropped I-No like a doll.

Now I-No was on the ground grabbing at her throat, coughing and hacking.  Finally, she stood up to face the man.  He was easily taller at about 5'10", my size.  I should know how tall he was, but I'll get to that later.  Her cold eyes stared at im from her 5'6", but he only stared back at her with a look that was even worse than hers, something I didn't at the time think was possible.  

"Raven, go back." I heard the mixed voice say.  The figure had a light blue complexion, like one who hadn't seen the sun in years.  A large horn jutted out of his head, looking like it was stabbed in there rather than grew.  The eyes were a cold white with fire-like pupils in the middle.  He traced his view to me, and stared at me intently, like I should know something, then turned backwards to the cloaked figure.  

"Agh…" I fell down to my knees.  I was hurting all over, tingling.  It always felt like this before a warp, but why.  My neck had stopped bleeding, it never was heavily in the first place, she had only scratched me with the knife, but blood and I didn't cope well together; at that time.  I pushed myself to my feet, I wasn't going to miss this, not after so many years of wandering.

I-No finished rubbing her neck, and finally turned her gaze to the shadowed figure that seemed to hover through the mist.  It cleared in front of him like a ship plowing through water.  Finally, he came to a stop next to the Raven person and both were staring at I-No.  I was off to the side and witnessing it all.  None of them even seemed to acknowledge I existed.

"You failed me." The cloaked figure said in the dual-voice.  

"Their _humans_, they don't matter if I went and killed them!" I-No said with contempt.

"You were supposed to get _her_ and come back."  I-No shrugged at his comment.

"Things got complicated."

"I don't like failure." He said plainly.  He slightly turned, the red mist billowing around the large veil.  He was now facing me.  An indiscernible face hid under the hood that seemed to be lined in a velvet material.  "You…I know why you're here." He said.

"M…me?" I stammered out.  Not only was I confused, dazed, bleeding, but now I was about to lose it all.  What was happening?  Gears, two of them and then this man who can control them.

"You're here for a reason." He said monotonely, each of the voices giving a different monotone, but still came off very harsh.  "What was that?"

I smiled a little, raised my hand to my head, and quickly told myself to cut it.  That was a habit I had needed to kick back then.  

"Uh…I need to ask you something.  You see, I'm a time traveler.  Well, not really a time traveler. I get thrown and tossed in time randomly, and I was wondering if maybe you are, since you've been around for so long." I said, adding on a little laugh on the end that died silent by the serious stares of I-No, who was shut up for once and from the Raven person.  The man chuckled a little, the dual voices making it resonate a bit eerily.

"No, I'm a bit different." He said a bit friendlier.  "I'm something that was outlawed a long time ago."

"A Gear?" I asked.

"Gears are much superior to you filthy shitty humans!" I-No screamed out.  She jumped at me from my side, and I could feel one of her hands grab me by the throat not but a second after she yelled it.  She was fast, and extremely strong.  Just pluses of being a Gear.  Her other hand raised high to stab me with the small pocket blade she had used earlier, but was thrown off again, like last time.

But, something was different.  Raven had grabbed her and thrown her off at least 20 feet with just one hand, enormous strength.  He also had a bluish-silver hair that went down to his mid back, an old armor strapped onto him that was holed and broken in many places, showing a mutated chest of bulging muscles and bits of rotting flesh.

I got down on my knees, coughing at the sudden attack again, and it hurt.  It hurt again, feeling like I was about to shift time.  The tingling all over and the pain shooting from head to foot.  But, Raven walked back to the cloaked figure and I started to feel relieved.  Maybe it's connected, I thought.  Both of the Gears stared at the insubordinate, red-leather clad one.

"You have failed me time and time again, and you dare to do it in front of my face." He said coldly.  The second voice seemed to hint a bit of pleasure in the statement, while the first stayed flat.  Maybe I was hearing things.  A hand rose from the cloak that I had never caught with my eyes before.  It was completely covered by it, even the palm, but at the end of it draped down a long hole that could easily had his hand out of.

But, a bright flash emitted.  I had to shield my eyes from it at first, but I saw later what happened.  I-No, while recuperating on the ground had been shot, well, not exactly.  It seemed like a giant flash of light had emitted from under the cloak somewhere in around his arm and engulfed her in a massive array of lights, like she was burning.  Dying.  Suddenly, Something came to my head.

"You were there, weren't you?" I asked, after finally watching the blackened figure of I-No crumple over in the red mist, a smoke from the cindering flesh rising into the air.  "When the Gears were made.  It was you."

"You're right."

"And that was…wasn't anything normal.  It's like what that ex-Seikishidan kid has, and the bounty hunter.  I don't understand…" I said in a low voice.  "How?"  There was no response from the man in the cape, but there was from Raven.

"You want to know how?!  You should already!  It's your fault!"  I was taken aback.  His verbal slandering made me step back, I hadn't expected it.

"Raven, calm." The man said calmly.  "You see, you ask how the cause of this all, yet you should know, you did it."

"What did I do?!" I asked furiously.

"Well, you will do." He amended, keeping the voice level as a board.  He started walking to the side of me, Raven following him, talking ever so.  "Well, you've been feeling queasy this time.  Your body tingles, you feel like flying and falling at the same time." He said, not looking at me, only pacing around me in a circle.

"But there's more.  Do you know why?" he stopped and stared dead-center at me.

"Uh…no, I don't."  He started pacing around again.

"It's because of parallel existences.  Two of the same people cannot exist in the same space, it's impossible.  Thus, one is the real you, and the other will warp back in time.  If you two do come in contact again, it'll happen depending on circumstances."

"Wha…what are you talking about?"  He sighed a little, both voices showing fatigue.  

"You'll know.  Raven?" he said, nodding his head at him.  Raven walked forward at me, and I took a stop back.  

"Hey, get away!" I said, grabbing for my sickles behind me.  They never failed me yet.  He kept walking forward like a machine.  I kept pacing backwards.  I didn't know _what _he was going to do, but I didn't like it, not one bit.  "Don't come closer!  I'm telling you!" I screamed.  He seemed foreign.  I kneeled down, and threw out my kami flinging it upward with my elbow at the last second.

What he did amazed me.  He _grabbed_ the sickle by it's blade, a little bit of blood dropping to the floor, not dripping, but oozing.  I yanked at the sickle, but his grip on it was superior.  Then, he pulled on it and I was thrown forward at him onto my face.  Coughing hard, I tried to stand up, but was lifted up.  Each of the massive hands grabbed my arms and held me into the air.  The feelings became worse.  I felt like falling, swimming, diving, flying, tingling all over.  I was about to warp.  

"You'll need these." The cloaked figure said from behind me, and I felt the chain of my being thrown over my neck, each sickle resting on my chest.  "Don't make a mistake." He said finally.  Then, I warped.  Blue light over came me like a vortex, everything around me froze in place, then started to dissipate like sand.  Losing color then fading to nothingness, I fell from the grip of Raven, or whoever he was, I wasn't sure at the time.

I saw his figure fade to nothingness, as well as the cloaked one, the charred body of I-No, the clouds on my feet dissipated away like fog.  Then, it felt like being hit simultaneously all over with bricks.  I curled down on the ground, groaning.  From my clenched eyes in pain, I could hardly see the world around me reforming.  A few people materialized from nothing, buildings seemed to appear like magic, the ground I lay on formed a cobblestone texture, and I was home.  London.

**********    

A cool, serene breeze blew in across harsh grasslands. An aerial group of drifting leaves floated along this wind, and a rustling whistle could be heard as the wind wafted through the short grass.

Beneath the quiet night sky, a solitary figure walked along. The figure was draped in a pasty white cloak, one that flocked in the wind. No sound could be heard from this mysterious traveller. Only the monotonous patter of petite shoes striking along the ground. And the gentle echo of the soft breeze. 

As this person continued to walk, the hood of the cloak was blown back by the wind. Revealing a certain face. The face of a beautiful woman, her eyes wielded icily on the path in front of her.

The eyes...yes...it was the eyes that struck the tone of this woman. She possessed crystal cerulean eyes that mirrored the instincts within her heart. They reflected a haunting past...and hinted at an equally haunting future. 

These eyes belonged to Millia Rage. 

Millia sighed quietly and pulled the withered hood back over her head. It was strange for her in a way. This cloak had been a garment to shroud her identity away from prying eyes. It was a suitable veil to conceal herself from the assassin group. 

Those days were the hardest.

Of course, that time was behind her. Millia had freed herself from the iron grip of the Guild, ever since she had defeated Zato-1 at that farce of a tournament. After his defeat...the Assassin Guild had never been the same again. It seemed that they had been thrown into chaos by the lack of leadership. Or maybe it was the loss of 'his' leadership that was the real blow. 

But regardless of the reason, the assassins were no real threat to Millia Rage anymore. She no longer had to spend the rest of her life running away from the Guild. So no longer had to awaken to her hair's call and kill.

Those murderous instincts were no longer apart of Millia, and neither was her recluse lifestyle. However...

Millia was not happy.

No matter how pleased she was to have her life back...Millia was not happy with the way things were right at this moment. Zato...was dead. He had been for some time; a man with that calibre of evil has never really alive. But...in Millia's heart...

Zato was alive and well. 

And while that man continued to exist within Millia's heart...she would never really be at peace. Freedom from the Guild meant absolutely nothing without being free from Zato. 

And so, Millia marched through the barren countryside in the darkest blot of midnight, braving the cold winds. All in pursuit of Zato-1, The living shadow. 

While she continued her search, Millia felt her mind wandering from her current thoughts. It was not enough anymore. Millia felt herself become absorbed in these sullen feelings. Or more correctly, memories.

~~~~~

Millia breathed a perturbed sigh as she lay down upon her boring, uncomfortable bed. Things had been getting on top of her lately. Not only had the demanding superiors of the Guild been ordering her to take up an art of assassin killing, but also Zato had been acting strangely. Through his entire career as an Assassin, Zato had been an underling for those in the upper echelons of the Guild. Millia knew that Zato hated this. He never was happy with his standpoint, and his ambition to seek newer heights was almost frightening to Millia. But still, she stuck by him. 

Throughout the Guild, no woman was more sought after than Millia. Her delicate beauty was well known and renowned by both men and women. Yet many stayed away from her. Up until now, when she was in her late teens, Millia had not perfected any form of Assassin style. She would have been executed if not for her beauty. But Millia was not happy with the assassin way of living. The idea of killing and massacring people for the sake of greed just...repelled the blonde girl. But still, the village of assassins was her home. She had been raised here...and at the moment, she was not ready to give that up. Not just yet at least. 

Zato was the one person who had not shown favouritism in the face of her beauty and had not isolated her for a lack of a killing art. It was for this reason, that Millia felt herself be drawn to Zato. There was a certain magnetism about him. He had this implicit ability to draw people towards him. And Millia began to reluctantly admit that Zato's magic was working on her too. 

Their relationship was enough proof of that.

Millia rolled over to one side, swathed in the flimsy blankets of her bed. Anything to get some sleep. Then just as she felt herself drifting away, the door to her room opened sharply. Millia pulled herself up into a sitting position, and shifted her blue eyes over to the doorway. The only source of light in this room was the small candle on Millia's nightstand. Despite the poor light that candle illuminated the room with, Millia could quite clearly see the silhouette of a man in the doorway, and identify who it was. 

"Zato..." Millia breathed his name huskily, and her eyes softened a little. But she became worried when she saw him struggling to stand.

Zato stumbled into the room, clutching at his waist. "...M-Millia..." 

Soon after, the assassin's body, depleted of its energy, began to tumble to the ground. "Zato!"

Instantly, Millia tossed away the blankets around her, and darted to her love's side. The smaller woman let out an awkward grunt as Zato's body tumbled into her arms, but luckily, she was strong enough to hold him up under her own power. 

Whatever happened to him, Zato was wounded. Slowly, Millia pulled him over to her bed, giving him a chance to rest. Then her quick eyes inspected Zato's wounds. There were a few bruises along his arms and his chest (his shirt had been ripped open and therefore his chest was clearly exposed) and there was a large puncture at his waist. It was bleeding heavily. That must have been the wound that was causing Zato the majority of his discomfort. The blonde woman quickly ran over to the small water basin at the other side of her room.

A few hours later, Zato's piercing blue eyes fluttered open. He was topless, his old shirt had been removed and a thick layer of bandages had been wrapped around the wound to his waist. It was at least morning now; rays of sunshine from the far window were clearly visible. And across from him was Millia, standing in front of her washbasin, wringing out a wet cloth. Zato smiled gently as he took in the site of his precious one. Her sylvan body was drenched in the bright glow of the morning sun, giving her a beautiful aura of an angel. In some respects, into was strange for Zato to have these kinds of feelings for a woman. He had never really liked women. In fact Zato was annoyed when Millia was allowed to continue within the organization even though she had not yet mastered a killing art. But as time grew, he allowed himself to get closer to this young Russian woman. 

And for the first time in his life, Zato felt that he could trust a woman. Millia was unlike anyone he had ever met before. 

After checking that the cloth she was wringing was damp enough, Millia turned around to see Zato, wide-awake. He looked a little better now. 

"Zato...you are awake." Millia's soft voice was worried. Zato found himself regretting the fact that this worry was down to him.    

Millia stepped over to Zato, perching herself on the edge of the bed. The two assassins looked at each other, neither of them were really in a position to say anything. There was always this...connection between the two of them. Both Millia and Zato could feel it, even though they had a hard time understanding it. 

Millia was the first to speak. "I was worried about you."

Zato grinned looking at the far wall. "I see."

"How was the assignment? What happened?"

Just as quickly as it came, Zato's grin subsided and an anger set into him. That was how he was injured. Zato and a squad of six other assassins were led into a job in Berlin. The mission was to assassinate a chief politician on the behalf of an unknown employer. Unfortunately, this mission was interrupted by a skirmish between the Sacred Order of Holy Knights and Justice's Gear army. The squad just managed to escape with their lives in the crossfire, but only by an inch. Ever since the young knight Ky Kiske had taken the position as commander of the Order, battles between Gears and humans had become even more feverish. Even the illusive Assassin Guild was being drawn into the Crusades. 

"It was a foolish administrative mistake!" Zato scathed darkly. "How could our leaders make such idiotic blunders and hold their position without shame?!"

Millia shook her head from side to side, unwilling to say anything. Zato was at his most passionate when he was speaking of the Guild. 

"I swear..." Zato's eyes were decorated darkly with his thoughts. "I will seize control of the Guild! And put an end to the council's weakness! I swear it!"

The Russian blonde sighed. She hated hearing Zato talk like this. If he was overheard by any of his rivals or enemies within the Guild, they could pass on this talk of treachery and be charged with Treason against the Guild. Simply talking of betrayal could cost you your life. 

Millia looked away. "I wish you wouldn't talk like that."

Zato's anger faded slightly. "Why? Don't you resent plodding along to the desires of those...administrative fools?"

For such an ambitious man, Zato could be rather blind to the truth. Millia took her hand to Zato's cheek, rubbing it softly with her thumb. And slowly, she let herself take in every small detail of his proud features. Those strong navy eyes and long tresses of mustard blonde hair. They all captivated Millia. But the connection between them...it ran deeper than just another attraction. There was something...more.

"Zato..." Millia said gently. "Surely you know what will happen if you go against the council? They will not tolerate talk like this."

Zato's eyes narrowed. "Is that why you are worried?"

A small smile tugged at Millia's lips. "No. I...do not want to see you getting hurt..."

So that was it. "I...see." 

Zato smiled at Millia, and shifted his position on her bed a little. Although it hurt to move, Millia needed this. And so did Zato, in a way. The older assassin ran his hands through Millia's soft blonde locks of hair and slowly, his lips began to descend closer and closer to those of Millia.

"You shouldn't worry." Zato whispered as the gap between him and Millia closed. "...You have a place in my future also...my little flower..."

~~~~~

A shiver ran down Millia's spine from those memories. It sickened her to think that Zato's touch gave her comfort. The idea of it...Millia had to end Zato's life once and for all. Once his corpse was finally laid to rest...

...Those memories would haunt her no longer.

"Well...I must say that the world has had its share of changes. It has been so long since these feet of mine have walked the earth."

Over a bustling northern city, populated in its thousands, a cliff face hung over. Etched into the vast rock face staring down on an unsuspecting city. And on the edge of that cliff, were two beings, which transcended the knowledge of any simple human being. Two existences that marked a new age.  

One of the two was striking in his dignity and intellect. An antiquated pipe lodged into the side of his mouth loosely, a crimson tinted cape, draping his shoulder, a clear glass monocle over his eye, and the most relaxed of dispositions. But that regal image was only a shell. A protective shield that safeguarded others from the ruthless power that resided within him. The Power of the Ages. 

That man was known as Slayer. 

"Within the darkness, a shadow is always born. And that shadow will rise to claim that which belongs to it. Or alter the path it legacy has left on the earth."

Sharon nestled closely into the embrace her love had around her. "Are you sure this is what you want? Things develop in a certain manner in the human world. Why not let them be their own final judges?"

Slayer smiled proudly at Sharon. "It is not my role to judge them. Their great impending test will define their fate. But there are others...who clamber around my creation with fickle hopes of deviousness and greed. To fall pray to such corruption...the fruits of my effort have become over-ripe. It's the role of the Nightwalker to tidy up the messes of his own creation."

"By dismantling the Guild?" Sharon asked.

Slayer's grin fell, and his strong arm left Sharon's shoulder. There was still a part of him that was reluctant; after all he had high hopes for the Assassin Guild. But now it has sunken into dishonesty and conceptual madness. The only way to rectify it was to destroy it. 

**********

Books of fine literature. 

A chess set. 

Runic symbols of ancient English kings. 

All of which decorated a room of moderate charm. Quite typical of post-Zato established living arrangements. But what marked this room out from the others was the one who was dwelling within it. with his arms folded and his legs crossed, this assassin set silently, in deep, contemplative thought. 

This man was Venom

Though situations and administration the Guild had changed since the death of Zato-ONE, Venom's nature of calm dignity was an attribute that he prized himself on. But that calm dignity was on a tenuous hold right now. 

There was a rage burning within this man, and he could not quell it. An incomprehensible anger. Towards many things. The fragmented Guild that doubted Zato, the monstrous shadow that ceased possession of him and the traitorous woman who caused Zato that fate. There was also another thing Venom was irate with.

Himself.

The English assassin was angry with himself for allowing things to come to this. All though the situation was out of his hands, Venom felt a deep sense of guilt for allowing Zato's memory to be desecrated by a simple weapon like a forbidden beast. 

{Zato...} Venom thought. {Forgive me. I have let your memory be tarnished by my own weaknesses. And the fragile desires of a cowardly council. And the blasphemous treachery of the Rage woman. I swear, I will not allow your memory to go un-revered.}

Slowly, Venom stood up from his tense sitting position. There were things that needed to be taken care of. More than not, it was something that could not be done by simply thinking of it. But just while Venom was reaching the zenith of his intent, a superior voice called out to the entire compound via the intercom. 

"Attention, everyone. It is I, Slayer."

Venom's eyes narrowed out as Slayer began his announcement. "Him. Why is he addressing the entire Guild at such a point in time?" 

Slayer continued while Venom debated that to himself. "As founder of the Guild, I hereby make the following announcement to all members. The Guild is now dissolved. That is all."    

"What?!" Venom seethed. "What does that antediluvian relic of the past think he is doing? To see this Guild fall into the unworthy hands of such a character..."

Though Venom's anger clouded a section of his rational mind, he wasn't stupid. He was fully aware of the kind of power breathing within Slayer's body. Inhuman, almost...

"I know I can't defeat him. Not right now...I need to reinforce and fortify my fighting ability. To re-learn the way to battle. Then I will be able to fight him on his own playing field. But before I put the old man away...I must put Zato's corpse to rest."

Eddie was still out there. Still in control of Zato's decaying body, and still making a mockery of that great man's inheritance. Venom felt that it was his duty to allow his master's suffering to end, once and for all. 

With his soul burning with anger and his spirit resolved for the trials that lay before him, Venom turned to his snooker case, hanging on the wall of his living quarters.

A solitary hand was rested on it. "So..." Venom began. "It looks like we shall be joining forces once again, my friend."

**********    

A high moon. Millia observed this as she walked along the cobblestone pathways of a small, rural village. This was her destination. There was a rumour passing along the countryside highway that a shadowy being was stalking along the villages and ruthlessly murdering anyone or anything that got its way. Naturally Millia was curious, or more accurately desperate, in knowing where this 'shadowy being' was last sighted. She was told that it was at this current village. 

That was around two days ago. Even so, Millia was hopeful. She was sure that if she searched hard enough, she would find Zato. Or at least what was left of him. 

Up till now, Millia had been searching for him everywhere she could think of in this town, but her efforts had all been for naught. Hardly a trace of the living shadow's presence. Then Millia just happened to walk past a small tavern. 

{Hmm...} Millia mused on this. {Maybe I should enquire into any possible sightings of him through the locals.}

The idea was the only thing Millia had left to work on, so she entered the local pub for some information. As Millia stepped through the saloon styled doors, instantly she was hit by the overpowering stink of drunks, alcoholics and wasters. The descending of hope and the resolution to solve it by drinking was always a sad site to the blonde women. She pitied those who felt that their troubles could be washed away with a tide of alcohol. Nevertheless, this was not Millia's key issue. 

The ex-assassin quickly strode up to the bar; ignoring the curious looks of attraction she was getting from some of the men there. Rather than pull up a stool, Millia stood before the bar side and waited until she got the attention of the bartender. 

Soon enough, after serving a drink to one of the other customers, the chiselled bartender walked over to Millia, wiping the shot glass in his hand. 

"Need any help there, love?" The bartender said, his voice thick with the local accent. 

Millia's eyes locked onto this man. "I need some information."

The bartender shrugged. "I'll do what I can, but I can't promise you anything."

"That's fine. Just tell if you've seen a certain person around here. A male, 5'11" in height, blonde, has a sash covering the front of his face, where his eyes should be."

The bartender thought for a second. "Hmm...that might have been talked about in here...is there anything else about him?"

"He...might have been involved in the murders just recently."

Something then just came to the bar owner. "You mean that guy? Come to think of it, he did fit that description. But he was in and out so fast it was hard to get a good look at him. He left the village just yesterday. It was such a sad day." 

"Which way did he go?" Millia asked quickly.

"Why...would you want to go after that guy? He's dangerous."

Millia's eyes narrowed. "I said which way did he go!?"

"Take it easy!" The bartender said, waving his hands in defence. "I know that he took the southern exit from the village but that's all."

Millia calmed down a little. She had no problems with people concerning themselves with her but Millia could sink into anger when she felt that person was intruding in her business. 

"Thanks you for your time." Millia said, and she hurriedly walked out of the tavern. As Millia stepped out into the cold, crisp air of the outside, her eyes stared down towards the southern end of the city. That was where Zato's body had left the village.

Millia was just about to continue her path, when her keen nose picked up something. She crouched down and took a look at it. A horribly rotting substance, sprinkled with traces of a black material. Despite the lack of evidence, Millia firmly guessed what this was.

A chunk of Zato's decaying flesh.

And judging from the deterioration of it, he couldn't have gotten very far. His cells were having a hard enough time living. Millia sighed and hoisted herself back up into a standing position.

**********    

"Yah!"

A spherical snooker ball smashed into the rocky limestone target it had been set for. The precision it had taken to muster such an attack was enough for any mere man to feel a sense of awe. 

However, it was not enough for Venom.

The assassin was pondering this as he trained in the outer fields of a small rural area. It had been six hours since his resolve to enhance his fighting skills, it was already morning, but Venom had not rested one wink all night. He was going to push himself to an absolute limit, and then do all he could prepare for his inevitable confrontations.

Millia, Slayer, Eddie.

All where either obstacles or blots on Zato's memory. Blots that Venom needed to eliminate to show his loyalty to and respect for Zato's memory. 

But before he resumed his training, a young, innocent voice called out to him from behind. "Hello?"

Venom's dark cobalt eyes peered behind his shoulder. "Who are you?"

This youth bowed respectfully. "My name is Bridget. I'm a bounty hunter. I was just wondering, would you happen to be Venom, the assassin?"

Venom was curious at this. "A bounty hunter...? I see. But I am afraid I am not going to be able to cooperate freely with you."

Bridget sighed and whipped out his trademark crimson and black yoyo, and took on a fighting stance. "I was afraid you'd say that. Looks like we have only one way to sort this out."

Venom grinned, and turned around freely to face Bridget. "The art of assassination is based on anatomy and dynamics. We anticipate the opponent's movements based on his sense of gravity, and then strike at that point. But when facing him, this knowledge proves entirely worthless. It's a hindrance. Physical power is not your fortitude. I can see that your power lies within that curious weapon of yours. You should be the perfect practice for my training..."     


End file.
